Cricketers Punished For On-field Fights (Source: AFP)
Cricket, since its inception, has prided itself on being a 'Gentleman’s Game’, but every so often, heated exchanges and physical altercations have tarnished that reputation.
Most recently, on Sunday, August 23, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dismissal and his heated exchange with Asitha Fernando were among the more talked-about incidents on an eventful first day of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka.
Asitha Fernando dismissed Jaiswal for 45 off 53 balls with the final delivery of the 17th over. But the wicket was followed by a heated confrontation between the Indian opener and the pacer, with several Sri Lankan players and umpires gathering around them as tensions escalated.
Fernando produced an excellent delivery from around the wicket that came sharply into Jaiswal. The India opener attempted to punch it through the off side but managed only a thick inside edge, sending the ball onto the stumps.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando punished by ICC after ‘Headbutt incident’ in 2nd Test vs Sri Lanka
After the dismissal, Jaiswal was walking back towards the dugout but some comment from Asitha irked the Indian opener. This led to Jaiswal turning back as he moved aggressively towards Fernado. At one point, the two players appeared to clash heads before the confrontation seemingly ended with them banging their heads.
Devdutt Padikkal attempted to pull Jaiswal away, but the India opener continued to charge towards Fernando before the situation was eventually brought under control.
Thus, the Yashasvi Jaiswal headbutt incident during the Colombo Test has raised obvious questions: could either player face disciplinary action?
A day later, on August 24, the International Cricket Council (ICC), reprimanded both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando. On the statement released by the apex body of world cricket, stated, "Both players were found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel".
"Which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match).”
As a result, Jaiswal and Fernando were fined 25 per cent for their match fee and were handed a demerit point each.
Also read: List Of Fights Yashasvi Jaiswal Has Gotten In
Setting that aside, in this article we have compiled 5 incidents in which cricketers have been reprimanded by the ICC for similar on-field physical altercations.
1) Virat Kohli vs Sam Konstas - Melbourne, 2024
On December 26, 2024, Australia’s rivalry with India turned physical as veteran batter Virat Kohli collided with a 19-year-old Australian batter Sam Konstas on the morning of the fourth Test.
Both players exchanged words after the contact before Konstas’ opening partner Usman Khawaja and umpire Michael Gough interrupted to cut it short.
As a result, Kohli was fined 20% of his match fees and awarded one demerit point for the altercation at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In his penultimate Test before retiring on May 12, 2025, Kohli was sanctioned for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.
2) Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi vs Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, Asia Cup 2025
During the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match on September 21 between India and Pakistan in Dubai, Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill were involved in a fiery on-field verbal altercation with Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi during India's chase of 172.
After Abhishek hammered Shaheen Afridi for two boundaries in the fourth over, Gill, at the non-striker’s end, roared in with a retort, apparently in response to something Afridi said at the start of that very over.
The confrontation didn’t end there. Haris Rauf, brought into the attack, also found himself in a verbal exchange with Abhishek, who was visibly riled. Gill too joined the fray, backing his opening partner as the umpires and fielders looked on, trying to cool tempers.
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Notably, the Asia Cup face-off marked the first cricketing encounter between the two neighbours since a four-day war after the Pahalgam attack in May.
The fallout carried over into the cricketing field, with both teams protesting against each other in some way or the other.
Following official complaints filed by the BCCI over provocative on-field gestures and heated exchanges with Indian openers, Haris Rauf was fined 30% of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct. He subsequently accumulated additional demerit points, resulting in a brief suspension.
Moreover, the Pakistani pacer still did not learn his lesson, as he unapologetically repeated the offence during the final of the the 2025 Asia Cup. Eventually, his demerit points culminated with a suspension for Pakistan’s ODI games against South Africa on 4 and 6 November 2025.
3) Javed Miandad vs Dennis Lillee - Perth, 1981
Australian fast-bowler Dennis Lillee and former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad were two of cricket’s most high-profile players in the 1980s. However, both had a tendency to attract controversies.
When the two abrasive characters rubbed shoulders when Pakistan toured Australia in 1981-82, the two were involved in one of cricket’s ugliest on-field fights.
While completing a single, Javed Miandad and Lillee collided mid-pitch as the Australian pacer blocked the path. As a result, words were exchanged, and Dennis Lillee turned and seemed to deliver a kick to Miandad.
A furious Miandad raised his bat and rushed to strike Lillee in self-defence and retaliation.
Dennis Lillee faced disciplinary action and was suspended for two One-day Internationals as a consequence of his actions.
4) Gautam Gambhir vs Shane Watson - Delhi, 2008
The 2008 Test match in Delhi between India and Australia featured a famous clash between Gautam Gambhir and Shane Watson, marking yet another India-Australia clash in the list of cricketers who have been punished for on-field altercations.
During the December 2008 Test, a verbal exchange between Watson and Gambhir prompted Gambhir to confront him physically, as he appeared to nudge Watson in the chest with his elbow. Leading to a minor on-field brawl.
Also read - Gautam Gambhir Shuts His Critics With Blunt Remark: "Here To Win Trophies Not Likes"
Gambhir’s magnificent double century (206 off 380 balls) was marred by the controversy as Match referee Chris Broad penalised both players; Watson received a fine for a level-one spirit of the game offence, while Gambhir was found guilty of a level-two offence and handed a one-match suspension.
5) Kagiso Rabada vs Steve Smith - Port Elizabeth, 2018
In 2018, Kagiso Rabada’s fourth 10-wicket haul in 28 Test matches propelled South Africa to a six-wicket victory over Australia in Port Elizabeth, but the seamer was banned from playing in the final two Tests of the series after being banned by the ICC.
The then-22-year-old’s conduct throughout the second Test earned him a ban for the final two matches. He was handed a level one charge for the send-off he gave to David Warner in Australia’s second innings, screaming in the opener’s face after bowling him, though expletives were not heard.
He had already incurred a level two charge for a shoulder bump on the then Australia captain, Steve Smith, on day one.
In the statement, the ICC stated, “He has received a fine of 50% of his match fee and three demerit points after a disciplinary hearing following his denial of the charge. This means Rabada has accumulated eight demerit points within a 24-month period, automatically leading to a two match suspension.”
Nonetheless, Rabada ended the match with combined figures of 11 wickets for 150 runs, proving to be the clear difference between the sides.
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